issue 11// volume 44 Don't call me a pinhead > Pin collecting as a hobby Bridget Ivery Contributor p2 collecting is an easy and fun hobby to dive into. I have been collecting for years and have over eighty pins from all over the place. I got started with Disney’s pin collecting and trading promotions almost a decade ago, which has blossomed into a full blown obsession. I used to live close to Orlando, Florida—and thus Disney World—so it was easy to pick up a pin here or there every time we visited. | especially loved picking up pins of my favorite characters. I think my proudest find is a pin of Scar from the Lion King, which I pulled from a blind box after a year of searching. It’s now proudly displayed on my pin board, along with the other Disney villains I picked up from that set during my search. The hobby has a fairly low cost of entry. Most pins run from $5-15. The more elaborate they are, the larger they are, or if they have moving parts, the more they are going to cost. The Disney pins I began my collection with ran a little higher, being officially-branded merchandise, but the cost was never prohibitive to me, when I was only buying one or two at a time. Aside from Disney pins, I have pins from places I have visited over the years. Asummer internship in Washington, DC afforded me the chance to pick up pins from the various museums around the city. I have pins of warplanes from the National Museum of the US Navy, where I worked. I have a pin of the Wright Flyer, from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I even have astamp pin picturing Benjamin Franklin from the Postal Museum. Pins are little pieces of wearable art that show where you have been, the kinds of things you like, or groups you may be associated with. I have pins from Sicily, from when I went to a field school there. I havea pin from the National Youth Leadership Forum, showing my participation in one of their programs. Talso have a pin of a dragon wrapped around a heart shaped red stone, given to me by my fiancée, which displays both my interest in all things fantasy, but also the love from my partner. Pins can represent people—like the Seabee pin I found which reminds me of my mother—and experiences. I have a pin from Mount Rushmore which will always remind me of the time my fiancée and I drove across the United States. Pins make great souvenirs. Most gift shops will have a pin stand and pins are small and light, making them easy to pack away in a bag. They are life & style // no. 17 Photo via natashasnickelodeon.blogspot.ca great to display, but don’t take up a lot of space like some collections might. I have a simple cork board from Staples to display my pins, taking up no more space than your average picture frame. My old neighbours from before I moved to Canada, used a map of the US for their collection of pins from across the country. I hope this has piqued your interest into the world of pin collecting. It’s really an easy hobby to get into, and brings lots of fun and memories with it. Beauty on a Budget: Eye Studio Sampler pack > The perfect way to get all the high-end mascara you need Lauren Kelly Graphics Manager eed an easy way to pick your next mascara? Shopper’s Drug Mart sells an Eye Studio Sampler pack that comes with seven sample size mascaras from brands such as Benefit and Smashbox, as well as a sample size of Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner. You also get a certificate you can use to receive a full size of any product in the box. This lets you test out each one until you know which works best for you. The mascaras it comes with are well-known favourites: Benefit They're Real!, Clarins Mascara Supra Volume, Clinique High Impact Mascara, Smashbox Full Exposure, Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara, and both Lancéme Hypndése Drama and Monsieur Big. Although it says they are sample sizes, looking at the list of products on the back and the sizes of each paints a more confusing picture. While They’re Real! and High Impact Mascara are listed at about a third the size of a regular tube, the rest are listed with the same measurements as the full-size tubes. When I purchased the product in a previous year they were all the small sample sizes, so I’m assuming this is an error. If they are each the sample size, then these seven tubes of high-end mascara add up to around two full size ones, and you can pick and choose which you like best and which is best for the look you're going for. And after all that, you get another full tube’s worth of your favourite. The value here is fantastic. The added Stila eyeliner, which I’ve reviewed in this column before, is a nice cherry on top to complete your makeup looks. I know from experience that these sample sizes will last you a long time, too. I will admit that the sample pack isn't cheap. At $42, it’s a bit hard to say it’s truly a “budget” product. However, if you're looking to save in the long run while still getting high-end products, this is the best way to do it. The regular- sized mascaras are all well into the $25-30 price range, so paying an extra $15 or so gets you a lot more for your money. If there are some you know you don't like, you can use them as stocking stuffers, or go in on the pack with a friend (you'll just have to fight over the full size!). Just one piece of advice from someone who's bought it: Put the certificate somewhere safe, so you don’t lose it! eli